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We all have those comfort shows or YouTube series that we keep going back to. For some, it’s The Office, Friends, or Golden Girls. Mine was bon appétit’s Gourmet Makes. The series featured Pastry Chef Claire Saffitz, as she attempted to make everything from Skittles to Cheetos to Twinkies gourmet. While the show has since been discontinued, I still find myself watching my favorite episodes back every chance I get. There is something comforting about taking something so simple and making it complicated and gourmet.
Today, I’m sharing that joy with you. I chose some of my favorite of Saffitz’s Gourmet Makes recipes, so you can make some upgrades to your favorite treats. Let’s go!
All of the below recipes are originally from bon appétit.
Gourmet Pop Tarts
Ingredients
Pastry Dough:
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2 + ½ cups all-purpose flour
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4 tsp sugar
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1 tsp kosher salt
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1 + ¼ cups chilled unsalted butter
Filling:
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2 10-oz. packages frozen strawberries
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⅓ cup sugar
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Pinch of kosher salt
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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Finely grated lemon zest
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Fresh lemon juice
Sprinkles:
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1 large egg white
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Pinch of kosher salt
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2 cups powdered sugar
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Orange, red, pink, green, and yellow food coloring
Assembly:
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All-purpose flour (for dusting)
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1 large egg
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Pinch of kosher salt
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2 cups powdered sugar
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½ tsp fresh lemon juice
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½ tsp vanilla extract
Directions
1. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl to combine. Toss the butter to coat, then grate the butter on the large holes of a box grater into the bowl. Toss the grated butter to coat, then use your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredient.
2. Drizzle ⅓ cups and 1 tablespoon of ice water into the ingredients, constantly stirring it with a fork. Knead the dough in the bowl with your hands until it comes together into a smooth mass. Transfer the dough to a sheet of wax paper and pat it into a ½”-thick square. Wrap the dough tightly, pressing the air out, then roll the dough with a rolling pin in both directions. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to 36 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 250° and combine the strawberries, granulated sugar, salt, and 3 tablespoons of water in a large saucepan and cover. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the berries are softened for about 5-8 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and purée with a hand blender, leaving a bit of texture if you like. Return the pan to a simmer, uncovered, and cook. Continue to stir and scrape the sides and bottom of the pan until the filling is thick, about 10-15 minutes.
5. Scrape the filling onto a large rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone mat and spread it into a thin, even layer. Bake, stirring it every 15 minutes with a spatula until it becomes a thick paste that holds its shape. This should take 45-60 minutes. Let it cool, then transfer the filling to a small bowl and stir in the vanilla. Add the lemon zest and juice to taste. This filling can be made 1 week ahead, just cover and chill it.
6. To make the sprinkles, whisk the egg white and a pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl until the mixture is foamy. Add the powdered sugar in a little bit at a time, whisking constantly and vigorously until you have a thick, smooth, opaque white icing.
7. Divide the icing among 5 small bowls and add the food coloring, one drop at a time, in each bowl. Stir until you reach the desired colors: orange, red, pink, green, and yellow.
8. Spread the colored icing in an even strip across a sheet of parchment paper, making the layer as thin as possible. Slide the parchment paper onto a baking sheet and let it sit at room temperature until the icing has dried and hardened completely for at least 12 hours.
9. Peel the icing off of the parchment paper and break it into smaller pieces with your hands. Place the pieces inside a reusable plastic bag and seal it, pressing any air out. Beat the bag lightly with a rolling pin to make the sprinkles. Transfer the sprinkles to a fine-mesh sieve and shake it to remove any tiny dust-like particles. Pass the sprinkles through a colander or slotted spoon, reserving the pieces that fall through. Repeat the double-sifting process until you have very small, relatively uniform sprinkles. Transfer them to an airtight container, cover them, and store them at room temperature until you’re ready to make the Pop Tarts. The sprinkles can be made one week ahead.
10. Once you’re ready to make the Pop Tarts, preheat the oven to 350°F. Unwrap the dough and cut it in half. Rewrap one half and return it to the refrigerator. Roll out the remaining dough onto a lightly floured surface to about a 14 x 10” rectangle. Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
11. Using a ruler, lightly score the straight lines on the dough to create a 3×3 grid (you should have 9 rectangles each measuring about 4 + ½” long and 3 + ¼” wide). Use a ruler to measure and lightly score another set of lines ¼” from the inside of each rectangle. Chill the dough until it’s firm, about 10-15 minutes.
12. Remove the scored dough from the refrigerator and divide the cooled filling among the rectangles. Use a small spatula or spoon to spread the filling in an even layer, so it fills up to the lines of the smaller rectangles. Transfer it to the refrigerator to chill. Roll out the second piece of pastry into a 14 x 10” rectangle the same way as the first, then prick it all over with a fork.
13. Crack the egg into your hand, letting the egg white fall into a medium bowl. Place the egg yolk in a small bowl and beat to blend it. Set the egg white aside for the icing. Remove the pastry with the filling from the refrigerator and brush the egg yolk all over it, working around the filling. Drape the second piece of pastry on top, aligning the slabs and pressing out air pockets. Use a bench scraper to cut between the rectangles to make nine 4 + ½” x 3 + ¼” Pop Tarts. Chill until the pastry is firm, about 10-15 minutes.
14. Bake the pop tarts until they’re golden underneath and puffed but still pale on top, about 30-35 minutes. Let them cool on a baking sheet.
15. Add salt to the reserved egg white and whisk until it’s foamy. Add the powdered sugar a little bit at a time, whisking constantly and vigorously until you have a smooth, opaque white icing that falls off the whisk in a slowly dissolving ribbon. Fill a disposable pastry bag with about 2 tablespoons of icing and snip a very small opening from the end or the bottom corner. Pipe thin, even rectangles of icing on the surface of each Pop Tart, leaving about a ¼” border. Transfer any icing left back into the bowl and whisk the lemon juice and vanilla in. Whisk in water, a few drops at a time to make the icing more fluid, but still thick and opaque. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of icing on one Pop Tart at a time, using your finger or a toothpick to cover the entire icing in a thin, even layer. Then add the sprinkles and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
Gourmet Twinkies
Ingredients
Cake:
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3 + ⅓ cups cake flour
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2 cups sugar
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1 Tbsp baking powder
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1 tsp kosher salt
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½ tsp baking soda
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2 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
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1 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
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2 Tbsp vegetable oil
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5 large egg yolks
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3 large egg whites
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1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Frosting:
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2 large egg whites
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½ cup sugar
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¼ tsp cream of tartar
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2 sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
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1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Directions
1. Whisk all the dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the butter, buttermilk, and oil and beat on medium speed until it’s smooth. Add the egg yolks and the vanilla and beat again until it’s smooth and light.
2. Whop your egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them into the batter.
3. Use a piping bag to fill the Twinkie molds ⅔ full, then bake them in the oven until they’ve risen, about 20 minutes.
4. Make the frosting. Combine the egg whites and ½ cup of sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat over a double-boiler until the mixture is thick and white and registers to 160°F.
5. Whip the egg-white mixture until the sides of the bowl are room temperature. Add your butter one tablespoon at a time and beat on high until the mixture is thick and light, then add the vanilla. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag that has an injector tip fitted on the end.
6. Flip the Twinkies over and insert the tip about ½ inch down into the cake. Squeeze evenly until you can see the sides of the Twinkie expand.
Gourmet Takis
Ingredients
Seasoning:
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1 tsp tajin
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¾ tsp Kashmiri chili
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¼ tsp kimchi powder
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¼ tsp miso powder
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¾ tsp MSG
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2 tsp kosher salt
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½ tsp citric acid
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¼ tsp onion powder
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¾ tsp sugar
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¼ tsp cayenne pepper
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½ tsp beet powder
Dough:
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50 grams white masa harina
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2 grams kosher salt
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1 gram baking powder
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65 grams lukewarm water
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8 grams vegetable oil
Directions
1. Combine all the seasoning ingredients into a container and shake to combine.
2. Add the dough mix to a bowl and mix until you have a stiff dough.
3. Knead the dough until it’s smooth, wrap it in plastic, and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
4. Portion out four and a half gram pieces of dough and roll them into a ball.
5. Flatten it slightly, then place sheets of plastic between them and flatten them further.
6. Use an oval cutter to punch out the shape, then roll it tightly around a wooden skewer. Rest each skewer seam-side down and repeat with several more pieces of dough. Place each skewer on a small rim baking sheet and bake at 300°F until they’re dry to the touch for about 10 minutes.
7. Fry the dough in 300°F vegetable oil until the chips are crisp and golden. Transfer them to a rack and let them cool.
8. Place the chips into a plastic bag and toss in a generous amount of seasoning. Fill the bag with air and shake vigorously until the Takis are well coated.
9. Dry the chips in a dehydrator on high for several hours until they’re completely crisp.
Gourmet Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Ingredients
Filling:
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2 + ½ cups peanuts
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1 + ½ tsp vanilla extract
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¾ tsp kosher salt
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½ cup sugar
Chocolate:
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11 grams melted milk chocolate
Directions
1. Toast 2 + ½ cups of peanuts in a 350°F oven until they’re golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Grind them in a food processor until a smooth nut butter forms.
2. Measure out one cup of peanut butter and transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat in 1 + ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract and ¾ teaspoons of kosher salt until just mixed.
3. Bring ½ cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of water to a boil in a small saucepan until the sugar syrup reaches 248°F. Slowly stream the syrup into the peanut butter and beat until the mixture is cool.
4. Turn the mixture out onto a sheet of parchment paper and let it cool slightly. Roll the peanut butter mixture into a slab about ¼” thick. Cover and let it cool.
5. Punch out circles to a diameter until they’re just smaller than the bottom of a standard muffin liner. Freeze the filling until it’s ready to use.
6. Trim the edges of a dark muffin liner to the height of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Fill each liner with 8 grams of melted milk chocolate and place it in the muffin pan. Tap to flatten the chocolate.
7. Remove the peanut butter filling from the freezer and press one into the center of each filled cake liner until the chocolate is pushed up and flush with the top of the peanut butter. Pipe 3 grams of melted chocolate over top and tap to spread the chocolate out.
8. Use a torch to heat the chocolate and tap the pan to even out the surface. Chill until the chocolate is set.
Gourmet Combos
Ingredients
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⅔ cup baking soda
Savory Powder
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2 Tbsp buttermilk powder
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2 Tbsp ground mustard
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2 Tbsp cheddar powder
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2 tsp onion powder
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2 tsp paprika
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1 tsp garlic powder
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¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Italian Powder
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2 Tbsp buttermilk powder
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2 Tbsp Parmesan powder
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1 Tbsp tomato powder
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2 tsp onion powder
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2 tsp powdered dried oregano
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2 tsp ground fennel seed
Dough:
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240 grams cake flour
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10 grams kosher salt
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15 grams cornstarch
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8 grams baking powder
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100 grams water
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30 grams honey
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50 grams avocado oil
Cheese Filling:
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4 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
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¼ cup Kewpie mayonnaise
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Dash of Worcestershire sauce
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1 Tbsp soy sauce
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3 oz. white aged cheddar cheese
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5 Tbsp yellow cheddar powder
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3 Tbsp Parmesan powder
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½ tsp Calabrian chili oil
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Garlic powder to taste
Extras:
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Mustard
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Horseradish mustard
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Finely chopped scallion greens
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Cayenne pepper
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Finely chopped Calabrian chilies
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Italian seasoning powder
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Softened ‘Nduja
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Finely chopped pepperoni
Directions
1. Bake the baking soda at 275°F for an hour and dissolve ⅔ cups of baking soda in 2 cups of water and set aside.
2. Combine the savory powder ingredients and set them aside.
3. Combine the Italian powder ingredients and set them aside.
4. Combine the dry ingredients for the dough and 30 grams of Italian or the savory powder in a bowl. Make a well in the center and pour 100 grams of water and 30 grams of honey in. Mix to hydrate, then add 50 grams of avocado oil.
5. Knead until the dough is smooth, then cover and let the dough rise for 10 minutes. Roll out small portions of the dough in a pasta roller until it’s very thin. Dust the dough lightly with flour to prevent it from sticking, then cut it into rectangles measuring 8 x ¾ inches. Tightly roll the dough around a straight metal straw, then use a thin thread to pre-cut the length of the dough into crosswise segments.
6. Dip some of the tubes of dough into the baking soda solution, then place the straws seam-side down into a metal cannoli tube.
7. Set a wire rack onto a small baking sheet and bake at 350°F until the dough is set, about 10 minutes. Cut along the same cuts you made with the thread and separate the lengths of dough, sliding them off the straw and onto the rack. Bake them again for about 15 minutes. Set them aside to cool.
8. Make the cheese filling. Process the cream cheese, Kewpie mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce in a food processor until the mixture is smooth. Add the cheddar cheese, cheese powder, Parmesan powder, chili oil, and garlic powder until it’s smooth.
9. Divide the mixture into thirds.
10. Stir the savory seasoning, mustard, horseradish mustard, finely chopped scallion greens, and cayenne pepper into one third. Stir in the finely chopped Calabrian chilies to the other, and softened ‘Nduja, Italian seasoning powder, and finely chopped pepperoni to the other.
11. Transfer the fillings to piping bags and fill each Combo individually.
Are you excited to get baking or are you running to the store to get these ‘pre-made’? Comment below!
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